Comments on: What’s The Story With…Plastic Cutlery? http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/10/what%e2%80%99s-the-story-with%e2%80%a6plastic-cutlery/ The Official Whole Foods Market Blog Sat, 20 Mar 2010 21:27:35 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Cutlery http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/10/what%e2%80%99s-the-story-with%e2%80%a6plastic-cutlery/comment-page-1/#comment-36127 Cutlery Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:29:17 +0000 http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/?p=3355#comment-36127 Wow, what a brilliant environmentally friendly alternative for fast food restaurants and days out such as picnics. How long does this cutlery take to biodegrade? Wow, what a brilliant environmentally friendly alternative for fast food restaurants and days out such as picnics.
How long does this cutlery take to biodegrade?

]]> By: Lee Kane http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/10/what%e2%80%99s-the-story-with%e2%80%a6plastic-cutlery/comment-page-1/#comment-32636 Lee Kane Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:47:21 +0000 http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/?p=3355#comment-32636 A bunch of terrific responses to the cutlery blog, and much appreciated! I completely agree, on a personal level, with those who say that putting a price on an item like this forces it to have a value that it simply doesn't if it's free and "disposable". (People seem to forget that "there's no such thing as "away"!) I also agree, although I didn't convey it earlier, that it is a "good thing" to make use of agricultural by-products that would ordinarily end up as "waste". There is some very interesting work being done in Maine to develop a plastic from waste from the potato industry, and that is definitely an initiative worth pursuing for many reasons. More than anything, I personally appreciate and identify with keeping a set of reusable cutlery with me on my person at all times. How simple that really is, and think of how profound the impact could be if everyone adopted a solution like that! A bunch of terrific responses to the cutlery blog, and much appreciated! I completely agree, on a personal level, with those who say that putting a price on an item like this forces it to have a value that it simply doesn’t if it’s free and “disposable”. (People seem to forget that “there’s no such thing as “away”!) I also agree, although I didn’t convey it earlier, that it is a “good thing” to make use of agricultural by-products that would ordinarily end up as “waste”. There is some very interesting work being done in Maine to develop a plastic from waste from the potato industry, and that is definitely an initiative worth pursuing for many reasons. More than anything, I personally appreciate and identify with keeping a set of reusable cutlery with me on my person at all times. How simple that really is, and think of how profound the impact could be if everyone adopted a solution like that!

]]> By: Ronman http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/10/what%e2%80%99s-the-story-with%e2%80%a6plastic-cutlery/comment-page-1/#comment-32627 Ronman Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:12:27 +0000 http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/?p=3355#comment-32627 I disagree with food is food and not reuse for making cutlery. The products are made from waste of these natural resources that normally would end up in landfill or streets. For example, sugarcane, once the juice is extracted the fiber is used to make the bagasse tableware. As far as composting. You can put it with your yard waste (Green can) or if you forget, and it goes to the landfill, it still biodegrades much faster than plastic would. 2 years vs 400 years or styrofoam that never degrades. Think about that. I disagree with food is food and not reuse for making cutlery. The products are made from waste of these natural resources that normally would end up in landfill or streets. For example, sugarcane, once the juice is extracted the fiber is used to make the bagasse tableware. As far as composting. You can put it with your yard waste (Green can) or if you forget, and it goes to the landfill, it still biodegrades much faster than plastic would. 2 years vs 400 years or styrofoam that never degrades. Think about that.

]]> By: Krista http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/10/what%e2%80%99s-the-story-with%e2%80%a6plastic-cutlery/comment-page-1/#comment-32471 Krista Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:07:11 +0000 http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/?p=3355#comment-32471 Thanks for this post! I always reuse the platicware I get and then I recycle it when it had its time. I would think that the customers of your store, at least the majority, would do the same. Though, I know that with any plastic (plasticware, water bottles, etc.) the problem is not necessarily the plastic it is the people who just throw them away because it is too inconvenient to reuse or recycle them. Oh well hopefully we will find a perfect solution one day, if not retraining humans to do the right thing. Thanks for this post! I always reuse the platicware I get and then I recycle it when it had its time. I would think that the customers of your store, at least the majority, would do the same. Though, I know that with any plastic (plasticware, water bottles, etc.) the problem is not necessarily the plastic it is the people who just throw them away because it is too inconvenient to reuse or recycle them.
Oh well hopefully we will find a perfect solution one day, if not retraining humans to do the right thing.

]]> By: Jennifermf http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/10/what%e2%80%99s-the-story-with%e2%80%a6plastic-cutlery/comment-page-1/#comment-32459 Jennifermf Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:00:57 +0000 http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/?p=3355#comment-32459 I completely disagree with your distinction of "food is for food" not plastics. If we can reclaim corncobs or potato skins and turn them into safe compostable plastics, then it'll be much safer and greener than anything we can create in a lab. By refusing food-based plastics, you're continuing the status quo for overpriced products only the richest can afford your products. The cost of these items will be passed along to us. I completely disagree with your distinction of “food is for food” not plastics. If we can reclaim corncobs or potato skins and turn them into safe compostable plastics, then it’ll be much safer and greener than anything we can create in a lab.

By refusing food-based plastics, you’re continuing the status quo for overpriced products only the richest can afford your products. The cost of these items will be passed along to us.

]]> By: KReilly http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/10/what%e2%80%99s-the-story-with%e2%80%a6plastic-cutlery/comment-page-1/#comment-32458 KReilly Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:58:48 +0000 http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/?p=3355#comment-32458 I also think that you should charge for the cutlery - it will make people start to think about it. I'm trying to think what people did in the past. I guess in the olden days there were no takeaways for food needing cutlery. I am trying hard to be like a boy scout and carry my little fork/knife/spoon with me, but old habits (of not carrying them) die hard... Please see this link which shocked me to think harder about using all the plastic around us... http://www.chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php?id=11 I also think that you should charge for the cutlery – it will make people start to think about it. I’m trying to think what people did in the past. I guess in the olden days there were no takeaways for food needing cutlery. I am trying hard to be like a boy scout and carry my little fork/knife/spoon with me, but old habits (of not carrying them) die hard…
Please see this link which shocked me to think harder about using all the plastic around us…

http://www.chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php?id=11

]]> By: jman http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/10/what%e2%80%99s-the-story-with%e2%80%a6plastic-cutlery/comment-page-1/#comment-32456 jman Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:51:29 +0000 http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/?p=3355#comment-32456 the farmers market dispenses recyclable cutlery made from a potato base and we all through them into one bin at the end, why dont you utilize that idea? the farmers market dispenses recyclable cutlery made from a potato base and we all through them into one bin at the end, why dont you utilize that idea?

]]> By: ziekraut http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/10/what%e2%80%99s-the-story-with%e2%80%a6plastic-cutlery/comment-page-1/#comment-32444 ziekraut Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:29:08 +0000 http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/?p=3355#comment-32444 Why not offer steel cutlery for people who eat at the store and plastic for those "to go"? Probably too worried that people will take steel "to go". But, you're not trying. All boils down to profits. Why not offer steel cutlery for people who eat at the store and plastic for those “to go”?

Probably too worried that people will take steel “to go”. But, you’re not trying. All boils down to profits.

]]> By: leslie http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/10/what%e2%80%99s-the-story-with%e2%80%a6plastic-cutlery/comment-page-1/#comment-32440 leslie Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:44:18 +0000 http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/?p=3355#comment-32440 People might want to consider something like this: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5223953 or this: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6936902 Both shops sell reusable flat wear in neat handmade cases and are super cool. I particularly like the bamboo utensils. People might want to consider something like this:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5223953
or this:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6936902

Both shops sell reusable flat wear in neat handmade cases and are super cool. I particularly like the bamboo utensils.

]]> By: Katrina Rose http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/10/what%e2%80%99s-the-story-with%e2%80%a6plastic-cutlery/comment-page-1/#comment-32439 Katrina Rose Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:43:49 +0000 http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/?p=3355#comment-32439 To help with waste we reuse the plastic forks and whatnot when we can, most go in the dishwasher safely. That way if we go on a picnic or need it for luunches its there and everyone know to bring it back To help with waste we reuse the plastic forks and whatnot when we can, most go in the dishwasher safely. That way if we go on a picnic or need it for luunches its there and everyone know to bring it back

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